I don't think that is a sure bet at all. Why? Because of economic and financial realities.
First of all, if it is really cost effective, eventual automation is inevitable anyway.
But mandatory wage increases in the kind of tight-margin, volume-dependent small businesses that would be most affected would be more likely to slow adoption of expensive automation due to the high equipment, conversion and training costs (and the implied increase in debt). No doubt there are some small businesses who could cover that expense, and they would make all the headlines. Overall though, increasing wages would more likely increase productivity beyond any benefit offered by automation in terms of cost, especially when adding the immediate savings offered by declining automation.
Well, it could say "This video is blocked because we didn't want to pay the required licence fees", which would be just as accurate.
No it wouldn't. YouTube didn't post the content, there is absolutely no reason at all that they should be responsible for paying for it. Their sole responsibility is to comply with the court's order, no matter how unjust, unfair, and biased it is. IMHO, it is certainly not within any court's purview to dictate the message that YouTube posts while complying with its order.
WTF is "high-speed" video? Oh, you mean multicast. Okay, carry on.
Although it might be worthwhile to point out that some corporate entities ARE building out network capacity (looking at YOU Netflix) to handle their own traffic and thus decrease the load on others. And they offer it for free to companies whose infrastructure might be adversely affected by Netflix traffic.
Of course there are also companies who don't WANT Netflix's charity (looking at YOU Verizon) because it might interfere with their ability to offer a monopolistic "alternative" to Netflix's product. Apparently those companies feel that Netflix isn't gouging its customers sufficiently.
The problem is that a security camera doesn't post the videos on youtube.
I don't mind being watched by cameras for a good purpose (security/surveillance) but I certainly don't want some random dude invading my privacy.
You don't need YouTube. There are whole LEGIONS of surveillance cameras which provide publicly-accessible direct links to their feed in real time. Watch 'em on your browser, anywhere, anytime. Save the images; store 'em on your very own local drive, replay them, modify them, upload them, share them with whoever you want, whenever you want. LOL, set 'em to music.
Everybody mentions YouTube. WTH? YouTube FTW? Where do commenters think those videos come from? Some retired, part-time nightwatchman risking his job for a laugh and 15 minutes of questionable fame? No. Those videos are uploaded by indemnified nerds who know how to find and access the camera feeds— none of which is any great trick.
If you say you are doing it "to preserve a fine tradition and strengthen family bonds" you are a moron, a bullshitter, and a sociopath.
Unless you are trolling, your words display a remarkable intolerance for others. Most of the hunters I know-- and I know a few, although I do not hunt myself-- they are not drunken fools, nor are they irresponsible with their weapons, nor are they inhumane people. Practically every hunter I know is intensely focused on improving his skill at dispatching his prey with the absolute minimum of delay and suffering. A perfect kill is one in which the prey never has time to realize that his life is gone. I have never met a hunter who was interested in causing an animal to suffer. And the largest proportion of hunters I have known have been genuine conservationists, often more competent at jealously guarding the wilderness than my well-meaning green friends.
Out here in the rural farmland, we rescue, TVNR and maintain barncats. They are the namesake of my fledgling business. FeLV and FIP are epidemic here. There is precious little financial support for endeavors such as ours. I will not subject you to descriptions of the suffering that these diseases cause for these critters. Some of these cats are very smart and Roadrunner cagey. If we cannot capture them for expensive euthanasia at our local shelter or the much more expensive counterpart at our vet, they are doomed to die alone and unsheltered, suffering in ways that are thankfully incomprehensible to most of us. I have personally witnessed this, developing a stomach-churning familiarity with the progression of the most extreme manifestations of the two diseases.
That is how I met some of the hunters I know. You see, a real hunter knows what caliber round to use to avoid spatter that can spread the disease. Real hunters possess the skill to place a single precision shot, instantly dropping the sick baby. Some hunters who helped us have shared our bottomless grief at the loss of fine animals (who are instinctively recreational predators and hunters in their own right). Those who did not share our grief at least respected it.
I do not mean to shame you for your words. Your view is easily understood. The thought of hunting is repugnant to many. Unfortunately, there are hunters (as there are in ANY class of people) who heartily deserve such scorn. But I would respectfully request that you look a little deeper before condemning an entire class of your own species, many of whom may be just a little more substantial than your stereotype allows. Hunting demands a set of precise skills that not everyone can acquire and a social posture that not everyone wants (or is able) to maintain. IOW, like every other human activity, hunting has its sacrifices and its rewards. Start there, and you might find that your own world suddenly becomes a lot bigger.
I'm just surprised that they can list you before you're actually convicted.
If you suffer negative consequences, say you get fired from a job as a bus driver or something after your boss sees the accusation and you are later found innocent how do you not have the right to sue for lost earnings etc?
Ah, the voice of the never-arrested, never-charged, never-taken-into-custody. LOL, such innocent brethren who unexpectedly find themselves immersed in "The System" are always shocked, SHOCKED by how irremediably cold and unforgiving it is.
If you really want a good idea of what "they" can do to you before you are convicted, have a look at this Inmate's Handbook for those arrested in Waukesha County, Wisconsin. As far as "rights" go, the only thing separating you from an earthworm is that you (theoretically) are allowed to shut up and call a lawyer. That's it. You have no other rights while in custody.
try living in a state like California. To use a car analogy, we probably have the highest DMV and traffic violation fees in the nation. In return, our roads and freeways are among the worst.
Yet another provincial Californian who apparently has never driven in any of the northern plains or rust-belt states.
Soon as we see evangelical atheists or an atheist temple, or maybe some atheist campaign contribution scandal. Hey, how about some atheist child molestation organization?
Churches do more than preach superstition. [snip].
Boy do they! Lobbying government, paying off elected officials, raising campaign contributions, assaulting minors, writing laws to support their favorite superstitions, exporting their influence to foreign lands under the guise of charity... churches are very busy!
Everyday I see an advertisement on TV that touts being able to talk to a "real person."
Well what is the point of talking to a real person if they are just some clueless automaton following some script. This Verizon policy is just another example.
Personally, I dread the day when I have to call customer service, and I dread calling tech support double.
I have had great experiences with Cisco tech support for my Linksys router. When my DSL provider (a fairly large CLEC) failed to provide effective support, Cisco knew exactly what was going on and directed me concisely. Without fail, every contact with Cisco support has left me technologically enlightened. AFAIAC, that company should proudly give all their phone CSRs a big fat raise. And no, I do not work for Cisco (currently unemployed). Although I have done time as a Tier 2 tech support rep in a large call center.
Are any of the other alternative really any better?
This hardly seems limited to Verizon. I'm unaware of any for profit business that will review your bill and point out how you could be paying less money to them.
Certainly customers do not expect this kind of old-fashioned SERVICE from their providers, however it does happen sometimes. The last time I called my insurance company (Ameriprise), the agent looked over my policies and noted where I was spending money inappropriately. He explained the details and-- with my agreement-- updated my coverage. The result? Better insurance coverage while saving just under $250 per year.
This unexpected and terrific experience has totally locked me in to this company. I still check into other insurance companies every so often, but with all their claims, nobody has come close to offering equivalent coverage for my home and vehicles than Ameriprise. I have no affiliation with Ameriprise other than as a very satisfied customer.
Especially in this economic environment, companies like Verizon and AT&T could do much worse than garner customer trust and loyalty in this way.
This is the very best decision NewsCorp could make. Right in lockstep with the organization's obvious goal: to grind actual news reporting out of existence. Here's to the fervent hope that Mr. Murdoch extends this kind of elitist exclusivity to his FOX Television News division. It would glaringly illuminate his primary view of his audience, allowing that audience a lingering whiff of exactly what they really mean to him. Good on you, Robert!
I avoid flying if possible. Last time I flew inside the U.S., it was to visit my brother who had a stroke. The security was a nightmare. On the way home, I was singled out and pulled aside. They unpacked my luggage and I was forced to partially disrobe. I was deathly afraid they would do a cavity search. The only reason I can think of for this to happen is that I had no sleep the previous night and was pretty bedraggled.
When I go to visit my brother again, it will probably be for his funeral. I will take a train or a bus. And I will never forget my treatment at the hands of those pathetically underpaid SEA/TAC goons. The airlines can go bankrupt for all I care.
In fact, this white Christian German-surnamed old fart will be rooting for their slow and painful demise.
[...] Residents have to voluntarily pay the use tax on "foreign" purchases. You think the state rep was going to do that?
Of course he was. That's what his little black book contained: records of out-of-state purchases, disguised as the names and phone numbers of loose women.
Slashdot Mirror
First of all, if it is really cost effective, eventual automation is inevitable anyway. But mandatory wage increases in the kind of tight-margin, volume-dependent small businesses that would be most affected would be more likely to slow adoption of expensive automation due to the high equipment, conversion and training costs (and the implied increase in debt). No doubt there are some small businesses who could cover that expense, and they would make all the headlines. Overall though, increasing wages would more likely increase productivity beyond any benefit offered by automation in terms of cost, especially when adding the immediate savings offered by declining automation.
Yes but at least nobody will see the content without paying. And that is always the end result of greed.
Well, it could say "This video is blocked because we didn't want to pay the required licence fees", which would be just as accurate.
No it wouldn't. YouTube didn't post the content, there is absolutely no reason at all that they should be responsible for paying for it. Their sole responsibility is to comply with the court's order, no matter how unjust, unfair, and biased it is. IMHO, it is certainly not within any court's purview to dictate the message that YouTube posts while complying with its order.
WTF is "high-speed" video? Oh, you mean multicast. Okay, carry on. Although it might be worthwhile to point out that some corporate entities ARE building out network capacity (looking at YOU Netflix) to handle their own traffic and thus decrease the load on others. And they offer it for free to companies whose infrastructure might be adversely affected by Netflix traffic. Of course there are also companies who don't WANT Netflix's charity (looking at YOU Verizon) because it might interfere with their ability to offer a monopolistic "alternative" to Netflix's product. Apparently those companies feel that Netflix isn't gouging its customers sufficiently.
Is that what it means when I hear a lobbyist say he's gotta go to the CAN?
"Others"? You mean that 13-year-old kid in his parent's basement in Tennessee?
The problem is that a security camera doesn't post the videos on youtube.
I don't mind being watched by cameras for a good purpose (security/surveillance) but I certainly don't want some random dude invading my privacy.
You don't need YouTube. There are whole LEGIONS of surveillance cameras which provide publicly-accessible direct links to their feed in real time. Watch 'em on your browser, anywhere, anytime. Save the images; store 'em on your very own local drive, replay them, modify them, upload them, share them with whoever you want, whenever you want. LOL, set 'em to music.
Everybody mentions YouTube. WTH? YouTube FTW? Where do commenters think those videos come from? Some retired, part-time nightwatchman risking his job for a laugh and 15 minutes of questionable fame? No. Those videos are uploaded by indemnified nerds who know how to find and access the camera feeds— none of which is any great trick.
Can't we skip the "BRANG IT ON!" stage and go straight to the "Mission Accomplished!" endgame?
Seems like doing so would save a lot of time (among other valuable resources).
If you say you are doing it "to preserve a fine tradition and strengthen family bonds" you are a moron, a bullshitter, and a sociopath.
Unless you are trolling, your words display a remarkable intolerance for others. Most of the hunters I know-- and I know a few, although I do not hunt myself-- they are not drunken fools, nor are they irresponsible with their weapons, nor are they inhumane people. Practically every hunter I know is intensely focused on improving his skill at dispatching his prey with the absolute minimum of delay and suffering. A perfect kill is one in which the prey never has time to realize that his life is gone. I have never met a hunter who was interested in causing an animal to suffer. And the largest proportion of hunters I have known have been genuine conservationists, often more competent at jealously guarding the wilderness than my well-meaning green friends.
Out here in the rural farmland, we rescue, TVNR and maintain barncats. They are the namesake of my fledgling business. FeLV and FIP are epidemic here. There is precious little financial support for endeavors such as ours. I will not subject you to descriptions of the suffering that these diseases cause for these critters. Some of these cats are very smart and Roadrunner cagey. If we cannot capture them for expensive euthanasia at our local shelter or the much more expensive counterpart at our vet, they are doomed to die alone and unsheltered, suffering in ways that are thankfully incomprehensible to most of us. I have personally witnessed this, developing a stomach-churning familiarity with the progression of the most extreme manifestations of the two diseases.
That is how I met some of the hunters I know. You see, a real hunter knows what caliber round to use to avoid spatter that can spread the disease. Real hunters possess the skill to place a single precision shot, instantly dropping the sick baby. Some hunters who helped us have shared our bottomless grief at the loss of fine animals (who are instinctively recreational predators and hunters in their own right). Those who did not share our grief at least respected it.
I do not mean to shame you for your words. Your view is easily understood. The thought of hunting is repugnant to many. Unfortunately, there are hunters (as there are in ANY class of people) who heartily deserve such scorn. But I would respectfully request that you look a little deeper before condemning an entire class of your own species, many of whom may be just a little more substantial than your stereotype allows. Hunting demands a set of precise skills that not everyone can acquire and a social posture that not everyone wants (or is able) to maintain. IOW, like every other human activity, hunting has its sacrifices and its rewards. Start there, and you might find that your own world suddenly becomes a lot bigger.
Just my two cents.
I'm just surprised that they can list you before you're actually convicted. If you suffer negative consequences, say you get fired from a job as a bus driver or something after your boss sees the accusation and you are later found innocent how do you not have the right to sue for lost earnings etc?
Ah, the voice of the never-arrested, never-charged, never-taken-into-custody. LOL, such innocent brethren who unexpectedly find themselves immersed in "The System" are always shocked, SHOCKED by how irremediably cold and unforgiving it is.
If you really want a good idea of what "they" can do to you before you are convicted, have a look at this Inmate's Handbook for those arrested in Waukesha County, Wisconsin. As far as "rights" go, the only thing separating you from an earthworm is that you (theoretically) are allowed to shut up and call a lawyer. That's it. You have no other rights while in custody.
They
use
you say AGAINST you in court.
Support pretrial release programs.
fuckarosis
Is that some new-fangled legal term?
try living in a state like California. To use a car analogy, we probably have the highest DMV and traffic violation fees in the nation. In return, our roads and freeways are among the worst.
Yet another provincial Californian who apparently has never driven in any of the northern plains or rust-belt states.
Only if you tax atheism too.
Soon as we see evangelical atheists or an atheist temple, or maybe some atheist campaign contribution scandal. Hey, how about some atheist child molestation organization?
Then, definitely tax atheists.
Churches do more than preach superstition. [snip].
Boy do they! Lobbying government, paying off elected officials, raising campaign contributions, assaulting minors, writing laws to support their favorite superstitions, exporting their influence to foreign lands under the guise of charity... churches are very busy!
Fuck you, filth. [snip] fucking sociopaths [snip] fresh shit [snip] shitbags [snip] bullshit [snip] fucking turds [snip] fucking dime [snip] fucking taxes [snip] fucking eternal leeches
Very persuasive. Sounds like winning rhetoric for a campaign platform! Really reflective of the hardworking, Yahoo!-posting grunting constituency.
Don't you mean "intent"?
I think many of us "old" techies have no problems getting how cell phones or Twitter works. What we have a problem getting is why.
LOL, how else can opposable thumbs get fresh air and exercise?
Everyday I see an advertisement on TV that touts being able to talk to a "real person."
Well what is the point of talking to a real person if they are just some clueless automaton following some script. This Verizon policy is just another example.
Personally, I dread the day when I have to call customer service, and I dread calling tech support double.
I have had great experiences with Cisco tech support for my Linksys router. When my DSL provider (a fairly large CLEC) failed to provide effective support, Cisco knew exactly what was going on and directed me concisely. Without fail, every contact with Cisco support has left me technologically enlightened. AFAIAC, that company should proudly give all their phone CSRs a big fat raise. And no, I do not work for Cisco (currently unemployed). Although I have done time as a Tier 2 tech support rep in a large call center.
Are any of the other alternative really any better?
This hardly seems limited to Verizon. I'm unaware of any for profit business that will review your bill and point out how you could be paying less money to them.
Certainly customers do not expect this kind of old-fashioned SERVICE from their providers, however it does happen sometimes. The last time I called my insurance company (Ameriprise), the agent looked over my policies and noted where I was spending money inappropriately. He explained the details and-- with my agreement-- updated my coverage. The result? Better insurance coverage while saving just under $250 per year.
This unexpected and terrific experience has totally locked me in to this company. I still check into other insurance companies every so often, but with all their claims, nobody has come close to offering equivalent coverage for my home and vehicles than Ameriprise. I have no affiliation with Ameriprise other than as a very satisfied customer.
Especially in this economic environment, companies like Verizon and AT&T could do much worse than garner customer trust and loyalty in this way.
I mean, "Rupert"
This is the very best decision NewsCorp could make. Right in lockstep with the organization's obvious goal: to grind actual news reporting out of existence. Here's to the fervent hope that Mr. Murdoch extends this kind of elitist exclusivity to his FOX Television News division. It would glaringly illuminate his primary view of his audience, allowing that audience a lingering whiff of exactly what they really mean to him. Good on you, Robert!
mmmmm... midges....
- helmetless motorcycle rider
Wait.... Hollywood ISN'T the greatest place on Earth?
I avoid flying if possible. Last time I flew inside the U.S., it was to visit my brother who had a stroke. The security was a nightmare. On the way home, I was singled out and pulled aside. They unpacked my luggage and I was forced to partially disrobe. I was deathly afraid they would do a cavity search. The only reason I can think of for this to happen is that I had no sleep the previous night and was pretty bedraggled.
When I go to visit my brother again, it will probably be for his funeral. I will take a train or a bus. And I will never forget my treatment at the hands of those pathetically underpaid SEA/TAC goons. The airlines can go bankrupt for all I care.
In fact, this white Christian German-surnamed old fart will be rooting for their slow and painful demise.
[...] Residents have to voluntarily pay the use tax on "foreign" purchases. You think the state rep was going to do that?
Of course he was. That's what his little black book contained: records of out-of-state purchases, disguised as the names and phone numbers of loose women.